Tanzania: Police Hunts Catholic Priest

Daniel Mjema ("The Citizen," November 3, 2010)

Moshi, Tanzania - Police in Kilimanjaro are hunting for a Catholic Church priest on allegation of defiling a 14-year-old boy.

Sources this paper in Moshi that the incident, which has turned into the talk of the town, occurred last Saturday at Lego Mullo Village and since then the priest has vanished. When contacted, the Kilimanjaro regional police commander, Mr Lucas Ng'hoboko, could not deny or confirm the incident, but said he has already dispatched investigators to follow up the reports.

However, sources told this paper that the incident has already reported to the police with a file number MOS/RB/14614/2010 opened at Moshi central police station. Sources said the matter was handed to Himo police station for a follow up. The Lego Mullo village executive officer at Kilema South Ward in Moshi Rural District, Mr Adam Mbuya, told The Citizen that the incident allegedly occurred at around 9pm.

According to him, the priest had asked the boy who work in his house to follow him, as he wanted to punish him for being lazy. But when they arrived at the valley near the house, he attacked and defiled him, the village leader said.

"We have reported the incident to the police who have already launched investigations. We are collaborating with them since Sunday but we have not been able to arrest the suspect," he said.